Tuesday, 10 June 2014

More Thank Yous and a Bit of Nonsense

Dearest friends: Thank you to everyone who has been reading my stories. I appreciate your enthusiasm and feedback and it's easier to respond here rather than repeat myself over and over replying to you in the comments section.

I wrote Melanie's story first and I believe that it is going somewhere. I am currently working on an art student, who is in the class where Melanie poses, and I think these two women will become good friends and their journeys will intertwine. The story of Chris and Greg was a personal challenge I set for myself, attempting to make Chris a bit more sympathetic and not too flat a character. It is important to me that all the characters are human beings and I tend to work out a lot about who they are in order to write about them and it may or may not work it's way into a story.

While Melanie's story is going somewhere, Chris and Greg might just languish in my pile of notes that help, OR I might get a better grip on them and they may come to life yet.

Thank you again for your support and feedback! I write because I must, just as I paint because I must, but in the end what I create is meant to be shared. I may look as though I easily do that but I don't. It is a huge leap off a tall cliff. Thank you for being my safety net. In appreciation I offer you this bit of nonsense.....

Ode to A Cardigan

Oh cardigan how I love thee and am a fool for thy charms.
Thou belongest with nothing in my closet save perhaps a pair
Of ordinary blue jeans and a white tee shirt.

But Cardigan thy soft comfort compares only with my cat,
And cradles me in warmth and safety,
Comforts me with thy dusky blue and cream.

My heart beats for thee sweet cardigan, and longs for thee
When temperatures dip a mere degree and I reach out
Caring not that thou lookest entirely wrong with what I am wearing

...and are made of acrylic.

Oh cardigan I sometimes think I must begin again and build
My wardrobe anew so as only to possess clothing
Which suits thee well and complements thy perfection.

Cardigan, I am content to be wrapped in thine arms and knowing that
Thou taketh me as I am, dressed in green and purple
Clashing with thy pastel softness.

Disclaimer: I would not leave home in this combination except in an earthquake or fire.

24 comments:

Interesting choices with the stories. I wonder if the men feel flatter because you couldn't get under their skin as much as the woman, being a woman yourself.I have to agree that the second is better, but still thought the first had a lot going for it. I find two voices confusing, but then we all know my people identifying abilities are dulled!On the cardigan note, I totally get you! I am in mine as we speak, but it's olive green!I think you are being hard on yourself. I would totally wear the second outfit out! Who said we had to match anyway? Don't let others run your dressing. If it feels nice, just do it!

I think it's actually me who doesn't like the cardigan with the second outfit. The cardigan feels lovely but I don't like it with colours other than denim, navy and white. At home I would wear it for warmth and comfort but it would be my own perceptions of what looks good that would guide me if I were going out in public.

I am sure it is harder to write a gender one cannot identify with, though I would hope that practice, empathy and good observational skills help. It is also harder to write about someone who is 'the bad guy" in your mind, which was definitely part of my challenge. I think I would need to write more of Chris and Greg to really get them and figure out who they are. That was just dipping my toes in. :-)

Ha ha, I loved your funny ode!! I wrote an ode to a turquoise gilet somewhere on my blog last winter!I also like the second outfit and too, have items in my wardrobe that go with nothing else, or so I think!! Oooh, I've obviously missed a post. Hope the signal on thus train let's me continue reading! X

I struggle with reading swathes of text on a computer, its not because I'm not interested in reading your writing its just that I can't concentrate and I want to give your writing the attention it deserves. I'll have to print both blog posts and read them in the garden - as we're promised a sunny day tomorrow. Love your ode to the cardi. xxx

Vix, the last thing I want is for you to feel obligated to read them and printing them out would use up too much paper and ink. I would be thrilled if you liked them, but I don't want you to go to any trouble.Do enjoy your sunny day! It is not quite so promising here!x x x

i´m with jazz here - interesting choice with the stories.i found that you got the 2 men very good, and the cheating husband reminded me somehow on mister ripley... greg seemed a bit scared of him already. and other as in her brilliant dialogs i found melanie a little pale illustrated.....

but in the end this are your stories. i wish you lots of creative energy! :-)

the nonsense ode is gorgeous!!! building a wardrobe around a beloved item - cardigan here - seems a great idea to me. it makes sure that the clothes are really you and dressing in the morning will be much easier!

It interests me how different people respond to the stories and characters, sometimes with quite opposite opinions! What we bring to a story as readers is quite powerful. Thanks for reading and commenting!xoxoxo

I lolled! haha! I love your 'ode to a cardigan', it should be celebrated! acrylic is always there for us! never to be shrunken or mis-shapen! I will ignore the excessive sweats I get wearing man made fibres (the joys of the bloody peri-menopause!ha!) because a cardi is always a wonderful thing! x x x

I love natural fibres and have a bit of a hate-on for polyester and acrylic but that doesn't mean I don't still own a bit of it! If I didn't I would have a much more limited wardrobe and definitely no tights!xoxoxo

Dearest Jayne, please don't give it a second thought! You must struggle with my blog as it is usually text heavy. I struggled with knowing that people would feel obligated to read and give feedback but in the end selfishness won out and I had to post my stories because stories are for sharing.xoxo